Caring for Your Hearing Aids

Today’s hearing technology options offer some of the most advanced hearing aids with features that utilize Bluetooth, multi settings and rechargeable batteries. Because of these advanced technology options, caring for your hearing aids is an integral part of keeping them in optimal shape. Proper care isn’t just knowing how to store them; it also involves regular cleaning and maintenance, as well as examining for any possible issues or damage.

Failing to follow a care routine can cause your hearing aids to malfunction, which is why you should consider the different ways you can keep your devices in the best shape possible.

Cleaning off debris and earwax

Your hearing aids will pick up a lot of earwax and depending on the person, and this could require cleaning after every use or at the end of every day. Earwax is arguably one of the most common causes for decreased hearing aid performance, and it’s unavoidable given how hearing aids need to be inserted into the ear canal. This exposes them to earwax, which is why cleaning off any debris and earwax is very important so that it doesn’t clog the speaker holes which will reduce the quality and volume of the sound.

Simply use a dry cotton swab or a soft brush to get rid of any earwax on your hearing aids. Once done, use a slightly damp cloth to wipe away any sweat that could be on your hearing aids and let them air-dry in a cool and dry area before reusing them.

Physical care of your hearing aids

Hearing aids are small and very susceptible to physical damage. Although they’re surprisingly sturdy for their size, you still need to handle with care to avoid any physical damage to the internal and external components. This means keeping them in a hard-shell case when they are not in use, rather than setting them on a side table or leaving them on the counter.

Battery care for hearing aids

Regularly changing the batteries ensures that your hearing aids are fully powered and won’t randomly stop working when you need them the most. When you're not using your hearing aids,  remember to remove the batteries until you need them to preserve power and let the compartment of your unit dry out.

At Integrity Hearing and Solutions, we offer a wide range of advanced hearing aids that do not have replaceable batteries but instead rechargeable ones. For these batteries, it’s vital that you monitor their battery charge so that you do not overcharge them or attempt to charge them when they are already close to 100 percent. Ideally, you’ll want to let them discharge when they’re not in use instead of always keeping them plugged in. This will prevent the battery from heating up which will prolong its life.

Avoiding moisture in your hearing aids

Since hearing aids are typically going to be inside of your ears, they can easily pick up moisture from sweat and may also get wet if it’s raining and you’re outdoors. Moisture is the enemy to hearing aids because most of them are not waterproof due to the small holes in the device that required for the speaker and microphone. It’s a very small and sophisticated piece of technology which means that the circuits inside are very susceptible to moisture damage.

Make sure that you take off your hearing aids if possible whenever it’s raining or if you’re working out so that you can keep the moisture away from your hearing aids. If possible, use a dry cloth to absorb the moisture if it’s wet and let them air dry. Do not use any kind of heated air device because it can damage the plastics and electronics which will result in even further damage.

Hearing aid maintenance doesn't have to be an extensive task, simply set a few minutes aside every day to inspect your devices for any potential problems and remember to wipe them clean after each use.

Get in touch with us today

If you’d like to seek professional help then our hearing instrument specialists at Integrity Hearing and Solutions are more than happy to assist you. Simply give us a call at one of our locations and we’ll be glad to book you in for an appointment so that we can help repair your hearing aid or offer you advice on how to maintain it correctly.

• Mechanicsburg: (717) 602-3899
• Carlisle: (717) 245-2437